SEOUL: North Korea appears to be preparing to carry out explosions at roads connected to South Korea as early as Monday, the South’s military said, just days after Pyongyang vowed to cut off all inter-Korean roads and railways.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the North’s Korean People’s Army (KPA) announced the measure that will “completely separate” North Korea’s territory from that of South Korea. The announcement was made on October 9, and it included a notification sent to the U.S. military in the South to “prevent any misjudgment and accidental conflict over the fortification project.” The JCS mentioned that activities assumed to be linked to these planned explosions have been observed along the roads of the Gyeongui and Donghae lines.
JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun stated during a regular briefing that the North had been installing screens along the roads to make preparations for the explosions. “It is possible for (North Korea’s explosions) to take place as early
as today,” he noted. The South Korean military is closely monitoring such activities north of the Military Demarcation Line and is seeking safety measures for troops and South Korean citizens.
This escalation follows a series of provocative actions by North Korea, including the dismantling of street lamps, installing mines, and deploying troops along the roads and within the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas. Additionally, North Korea claimed that South Korea had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times this month, raising tensions further.
In response to these developments, South Korea’s defense ministry has maintained a high level of readiness and warned of strong retaliation in the event of any North Korean provocation. The U.S.-led U.N. Command, overseeing activities within the Demilitarized Zone, has also started investigating North Korea’s claims about the drones, abiding by the Armistice Agreement.
The ongoing tensions highlight the volatile situation on the Korean Peninsula as bot
h nations prepare for possible military confrontations while international efforts to mediate peace continue to face significant challenges.